rains:

I am not sure ... apart from convenience and proximity, does anyone consider the child as a person for P1 registration?


Amidst all the talk about distance priority and how it is the most important and all, the reason I didn't put my elder child in the nearest school was becos I knew she would not fit in the environment in the nearest school.

For all the virtues of distance and proximity, I placed her in the nearest possible kindergarten - just below my mother's flat. Literally 'just below'. My mother lives in on the 2nd floor and the kindy was one floor below.

For the months that followed, my child was an unhappy child. I didn't know why. I just thought she needed to get used to schooling.

Then one day, she told me she didn't have friends. Again, I dismissed it as 'it will take a while for that to happen' although I recalled fondly how easily I made friends in kindy.

Came her birthday. I decided to help her merge into the social circle by celebrating her birthday in school.

The insensitive me didn't notice anything amiss until I started cutting the cake. My sister laughed and alerted me to a 'funny' scenario: my child was sitting alone at the corner of a table and eating her cake alone while the rest of the children were having a good time at the other 2 or 3 tables.

That made me really look up and observe what was going on:

the other kids were speaking in their mother tongues and totally comfortable with one another. My child could not understand them and they could not understand my child.

I felt so guilty towards my child becos I opted for convenience and proximity at the expense of her well-being.

I decided to source around for an English-speaking environment. The next year, I transferred her to a kindy with children who could speak English and didn't mind my child speaking English. And she was happier there. It was a bus ride away and not as convenient, but I was happy that she had friends and became more chatty.

From then on, 'proximity' and 'distance' are no concern to me.

The same goes for her primary school. Our nearest schools were the kind of schools that parents on kiasuparents forum would never thought of sending their own kids to and would do everything to avoid their kids going. And I was sure that her kindy history would repeat itself, leaving her with 6 years of unhappy schooling and friendless.

So I get abit upset when people advocate distance priority. When I live in a neighbourhood with schools that none of you would choose for your kids while you live in an estate with schools that parents fight tooth and nail to get their kids in, it's easy for you to say that distance rules.

一针见血! :udawoman: I like! :goodpost:

Hi, I’m 36 with a 4 yrs old daughter. Am happy with one but my decision will tend to sway temporary when I am being questioned with "When’s no. 2?" or sometimes when I see my friends with 2. Hubby is happy with one too.


I am really happy with one and don’t want to commit myself with no. 2 due to peers pressure. Glad to chance upon this club, good day!

Hi, am interested to send my girl to CMA. She will be four in Nov this year. Lives in Toh Yi and hope to enrol her at the Bukit Batok branch which is the nearest.


May I know the course fees? Would most likely go for the once-a-week class. Are the teachers ok?

Appreciated any comments.